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By nature embroidery is supposed to be a relaxing and mindful craft, but there is one thing that can make it especially stressful: not using the right needle. Choosing a needle that’s appropriate for your thread, fabric and project will save you tangles, pricked fingers, and the frustration of fighting with your thread!
There are five things to keep in mind when choosing needles. They are:
1 - The technique or type of project you are doing
Needles come in a variety of thicknesses and lengths with different sized eyes for different types of thread. Are you doing freestyle embroidery? Counted cross stitch? Sashiko? Crewel embroidery? Each type of embroidery has needles that correspond best with the techniques you’ll be using.
2 - The fabric or other medium you are stitching on
While sharper needles work best on woven fabrics, blunt-tipped needles are a good choice for stretchy/knit fabrics or fabrics with a distinct weave such as aida.
3 - The type of thread or fiber you’re stitching with
There are many different types of threads and fibers that can be used in hand embroidery from cotton to silk, wool to linen, plus manmade fibers. Some threads are divisible whereas others are not. You can stitch with ribbon, cording, yarn and more. Different types of fibers work best with different needles.
4 - The weight/size of the thread
Once you’ve drilled down to the type of needle you need for your project, you’ll need to choose a needle size. Needle sizes are usually identified by a number. A lower number indicates a needle with a larger eye. So a size 3 embroidery needle would have a larger eye than a size 9 embroidery needle, and therefore be better suited to larger threads.
5 - The type of stitch
In the case of some types of stitches, for example bullion knots or cast-on stitches, using certain needles will make your stitches easier to create and more beautiful.
Using the right sized needle will make stitching more enjoyable and set you up for success!
If your needle is too large… it will be much more likely for the thread to slip right out of the eye of your needle. In addition, a needle that's too thick will create a hole that can cause stitches to be pulled through your fabric (particularly when doing stitches like french knots).
If your needle is too small… forcing a heavier thread through a small needle eye will cause the fibers to fray and break. Plus, you’ll have to wrestle with your needle to bring the thread through the fabric. Not only is this a frustrating way to stitch, it can tear your fabric or cause you to inadvertently stab your fingers!
Whatever type of needles you are working with, grab a pack of mixed sizes. Then you’ll be prepared to stitch with a variety of thread weights, and you’ll have extra needles if one breaks or becomes dulled from use.
Now that we’ve covered what to pay attention to when choosing a needle, it’s time to make a selection for your project. Below are some of the most common types of needles to use for hand stitching.
Embroidery Needles (aka Crewel Needles)
Description: Sharp needles with an eye particularly suited to six-strand embroidery floss. These are the most common needles used for hand embroidery.
Threads to use with them: Six-strand embroidery floss, some pearl cotton, crewel wool threads, linen threads
Fabric to use with them: Felt, quilters cotton, linen, and other light- to midweight woven fabrics
Check out… this variety pack of DMC embroidery needles.
Milliners Needles (aka Straw Needles)
Description: This particularly long needle is helpful for embroidering long, wrapped stitches where the thread is looped around the shaft of the needle. It has a smaller eye than embroidery needles. A must-have for long bullion knots, double cast-on stitches, drizzle stitches, and the like.
Threads to use with them: Pearl cotton, six-strand embroidery floss, crewel wool or other midweight threads
Fabric to use with them: Felt and woven fabrics such as quilters cotton, linen, denim and duck cloth
Check out… this variety pack of Tulip milliners needles as well as Tulip size 1 milliners needles.
